By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(July 6, 2018) The first generation 8 Series was introduced in 1989 as a top of the line coupe for the BMW brand, sitting above the 7 Series sedan in the same way the 6 Series sat above the 5 Series. More powerful, luxurious and expensive than the 6 Series, the V8- or V12-powered 8 Series suffered from slowing sales and falling demand, leading to its cancellation in 1999.

BMW’s revised model strategy, coupled with increasing pressure to fill the upper price strata with profitable halo offerings, encouraged the company to resurrect the 8 Series, which is rumored to eventually include a convertible and four-door Gran Coupe. This makes it a more upmarket, upscale and up-price version of the 6 Series it effectively replaces.

First out of the gate is the M850i xDrive, an all-wheel drive 8 Series. It’s powered by a twin-turbo V8 producing 532 hp and 553 lb.-ft. of torque, and is mated to an eight-speed paddle-shift automatic. The xDrive system is rear biased, and fitted with a standard rear differential lock.

BMW says a new aluminum alloy is used in the 4.4-liter V8’s engine block to increase its strength. Wire-arc deposition is used to spray an iron coating on the cylinder walls, and reinforced Grafal-coated pistons and optimized piston rings reduces frictional losses. A viscous damper on the crankshaft lowers torsional vibration. In addition, the intake ports have been optimized for higher flow, the twin-scroll turbochargers enlarged, and the variable valve timing altered to reduce throttle losses. Fuel injection pressure has been increased from 2,900 lb./in.2 to 5,076 for better metering and emissions performance.

One hundred percent of engine torque is sent to the rear wheels when all-wheel drive is unnecessary. The locking of the rear differential is governed by the Driving Stability Control (DSC) system, and is initiated by an electric motor for fast response to changing conditions.

Suspension is via a double wishbone front suspension and a five-link independent rear. To optimize mounting stiffness, torsion struts are used on the front axle, and a load-bearing strut is incorporated into the rear axle. Also, camber stiffness is increased by using individual rubber bushings and additional damping plates on the rear axle. The design of the front suspension creates separate load paths for the steering and damper forces, and this means that high lateral loads do not pollute the steering feel or weighting. Adaptive M Suspension, which features electronically controlled dampers, is standard.

Integral Active Steering — a.k.a. four-wheel steering — also is standard, and steers the rear wheels up to 2.5 degrees for stability and agility. Up to 45 mph, the rear wheels are steered out-of-phase, that is, opposite to the front wheels for greater agility. This switches to in-phase at higher speeds to enhance stability.

Choosing the Spot or Sport+ mode increases the out-of-phase speed limit to 55 mph. Active roll stabilization is available as an option, and uses electric swivel motors on the front and rear anti-roll bar mounts to couple/decouple the bars as needed for handling and comfort.

The front brakes have four-piston fixed calipers, while the less heavily loaded rears uses single-piston floating calipers. Each brake disc is internally vented and riveted to an aluminum hat. Behind the 245/30R-20 front and 275/30R-20 rear tires sit blue M Sport calipers with the M logo when the M Sport package is ordered.
 
Aluminum is used for the front and rear structures, hood, roof, doors and firewall. A magnesium bracing tube complements the carbon fiber center tunnel, while the passenger compartment is made of high-tensile steel. Buyers have the option of ordering the hood and aerodynamic add-ons in carbon fiber.



Full LED lighting is standard, and both front light tubes are used to generate the daytime driving lights, as well as the low and high beams. They are the slimmest front lighting units of any BMW yet. The LED rear lights extend into the flanks of the 8 Series, are uniformly lit, and have a distinctive “L” shape.

The instrument panel is driver optimized, and features a wide center stack that contains the audio head unit and controls, climate control panel, air vents, and the frameless infotainment unit. In the center console there’s the iDrive controller, shift lever, and the Driving Experience Control that changes the driving mode. The sport seats are a new design that maximizes long-distance comfort and lateral support. Each headrest can be adjusted for height and fore/aft position, and is integrated into the backrest.

A semi-electric folding function, activated by pulling the leather strap on the backrests, makes entry and exit easier for the rear seat passengers. In back, the rear seat backrests are split 50:50, and can be folded individually or together. The seats are covered in Merino Individual leather.

The interior also features new heated and cooled seats, indirect LED illumination in the center console and doors that pulsate in specific situations (engine running, incoming phone call, etc.), and an optional glass package for covering selected controls with glass covers. The standard audio system has 11 speakers and a digital amplifier, while the optional unit is a 16-speaker Harmon Kardon Surround Sound system. It features Diamond loudspeakers, an active 16-channel amplifier with 1,375 watts, and each speaker is partially illuminated.

Driver assistance and safety systems abound, as you would expect, and include ultrasonic and radar sensor, cameras, and more.

The Virtual Driver